Cho Chang
by JetLaBarge
Summary: A side story from my "Almost Happily Ever After" universe. Cho Chang has not dated since her boyfriend was killed at the Battle of Hogwarts. She had lost two boyfriends just after she kissed them, first Cedric, then Michael at the Battle of Hogwarts. She is terrified about getting into another relationship. But Ed just fought with balky drains. Maybe.
1. Chapter 1

Cho Chang

A side story from my "Almost Happily Ever After" universe. Cho Chang has not dated since her boyfriend was killed at the Battle of Hogwarts. She had lost two boyfriends just after she kissed them, first Cedric, then Michael at the Battle of Hogwarts. She is terrified about getting into another relationship. But Ed just fought with balky drains. Maybe.

CC CH. 1 Courtship

Cho Chang has finally started dating, but she and her boyfriend have problems, and they date back to Muggle WWII.

Cho Chang woke up early September 9, 2004, nervous. She shouldn't have this pit in her stomach. It wasn't even a date. It was just a meal, and like last week they would both pay for their own meals.

She was still tense, however. There were too many obstacles to any relationship with Ed. But she had not been in a relationship of any kind since Hogwarts, six years ago. It's been six long years.

It was just after six in the afternoon, and after a quick shower she was getting dressed. Working as Third Shift Supervisor she didn't have a lot of prime time to date. Especially since she usually came into work early and left late. It was probably her fault that she had been so alone when she wasn't working.

She put on her knickers, and then her bra. The bra wasn't a huge garment by any means. She wasn't big like Lavender, poor Lavender Brown. Or Ginny, now Ginny had never been small, and since she had gotten pregnant she was busty. But for an average sized Oriental woman Cho thought she wasn't bad. Cho put on her Auror issue blouse. She had let Joey modify it just a little to highlight her bust and waist, to make her look a little more, as Joey put it, more a Female Auror and less an Auror who just happened to be female.

She put on her Auror trousers, again modified by Joey to highlight her small waist and ample enough hips. Joey said a large hip to waist ratio was attractive. He had worked his magic on her Auror jacket too, just highlighting her waist a little more, then highlighting the bust just a little more.

Cho mused, all this for a dinner that wasn't even a date. She was pathetic.

She remembered last week all too well. She remembered walking down the street to her all too regular Thursday night meal at the Japanese restaurant. Eating at a Japanese restaurant was sort of a rebellion. Her grandparents and great-grandparents and great-great grandparents HATED the Japanese. The problem had to do with the Rape of Nanking. That's why the family had fled China, and had ended up in England, and HATED the Japanese. She's seen her grandfather spit on Toyota cars.

So last week she had walked into the little Japanese restaurant, and this young man had said, "Hello."

"Do I know you?" she had asked.

"No," he had said. "We've never met. But I know who you are. You are Cho Chang, the Auror."

"How do you know?"

"I talk to the staff here. I've also seen a few articles in the Witches Rumors magazine. I don't believe them. I'm sure you and Harry are not engaged in a passionate relationship behind Ginny's back."

Cho remembered laughing, "No, I value my life. Harry's totally faithful, and Ginny's unbelievably jealous. I wouldn't want to be in the way of Ginny if she was after another witch, and I would never be so foolish to go after Harry myself!"

How pathetic was she? She thought she could remember every word of that initial conversation. He said, "I've just seen a good looking, single girl eating alone week after week, and I'm curious. Is there anything wrong with a single guy being curious?"

How was she supposed to answer that one? She had said, "No, I guess I can't blame you for striking up a conversation."

"I thought that instead of each of us eating dinner alone we could sit at the same table, and maybe talk. Each of us pays for their own meal, so you can tell I'm not trying to make you feel obligated to me."

Well, it was better than eating alone, again. So they shared a table, and talked.

Cho found out that his name was Ed Koizumi. His parents were Japanese, but the male line had lived in California in the USA, and then in the late 1930's, when sentiment against the Japanese had begun to grow in the US, they had sold everything, and moved to England. The children were always sent back to Japan for schooling, and the girls were expected to marry and stay in Japan. The men were expected to marry some nothing of a subservient Japanese girl and bring her back to England.

Ed's parents were sort of anxious for him to find a girl, any girl, but the grandparents and great-grandparents were as adamant about him marrying Japanese as her ancestors were against anything Japanese.

The relationship was doomed. But she liked him.

Bollocks and Boggarts.

So here she was, walking to the Japanese restaurant, a pit in her stomach.

He opened the door for her.

Ed said, "Hello, Cho."

Cho said, "Hello, Ed."

Ed said, "You look very nice today."

Cho asked, "Why? I'm just wearing my usual Auror uniform."

Ed looked at her. He looked embarrassed.

"What's different, Ed?" Cho asked. She wasn't going to let him get away with not answering her. She might as well see how he could handle a potentially embarrassing conversation.

"That's the problem," Ed said. "It looks like exactly the same Auror's uniform, but somehow you look different, more feminine."

Cho asked, "I didn't look female before?"

Ed said, "Yes, of course, you have always looked like a female. It's just, well maybe it's all me. Maybe it's all in my head. It's just that before you looked like an Auror who happened to be female, but today you look, at least to me, like a female who happens to be an Auror. And I can't tell you why. It's probably all in my head."

Choi said, "We have an Auror whose family members are tailors, and he can work magic with woman's clothes. He tweaked this uniform, and he said almost the same thing you said. He said that the little changes would make me look more Female Auror and less Auror who happens to be female."

Ed said, "I'm not going to embarrass us by asking what he did."

Cho said, "I'm going to embarrass you by making you tell me what you noticed. It was embarrassing enough for me to ask Joey to alter my clothes."

Ed looked at Cho again, carefully looking at her from head to toe. "You're hair looks the same," he said. "It's a cute, short haircut. Maybe you are wearing a little lipstick, but it's a pretty subtle shade."

"I haven't changed my hair," she said. "It's the same pixie cut. I did put on a slightly different shade of lipstick. The clothes, Ed. What is different about the clothes? How does it make me look different?"

Ed looked again. "I don't think you are any bigger around on top, but somehow I notice it more. The blouse is fitted a little differently."

"You like looking at me?" Cho asked.

"That's at least partly why I wanted to meet you," Ed said.

"I'm not really big on top," Cho said.

"You have a narrow waist," Ed said. "You have very nice, shapely hips too. That has to be some of what this Joey did. He must have emphasized the waist, and the very nice shape of the hips."

Cho moved her hands from her waist down her hips. "Thank you," she said, in a very quiet voice.

"Let's sit down," Ed said as he led Cho to a table. "I talked all about my family last time. When did your family come to England?"

"After the Rape of Nanking," Cho said. "My grandparents and great-grandparents hate the Japanese. You talk about how your grandparents and great-grandparents want you to marry Japanese. Mine would be all right with anyone but someone who is Japanese. Did your ancestors fight for Japan during the Muggle World War II?"

"No, they fought on the side of the English wizards against Grindelwald. It was kind of a touchy time."

"Maybe that would make a difference, if my grandparents thought your ancestors were on the side of the English and not on the side of the Japanese."

"Maybe."

Ed changed the subject to Cho's Auror work, and shared more about the three blocks of apartment buildings his family owned, and his and his father's role in maintaining the apartments.

They agreed to meet again next week. Same time, same place.

She was doomed. She liked him!

Friday she asked Joey to alter the rest of her Auror uniforms. Some of the men in the Department for Magical Law Enforcement noticed. One even asked her out, and she went, but there was no spark. She wasn't sure she wanted to be in a relationship with another person in the DMLE anyway. She didn't want another boyfriend killed!

Thursday September 30, on the fifth non-date meal, Ed asked, "Are you free Monday night? I know you usually have Monday off."

"I can be free," Cho said. "I'm not scheduled to work Monday night."

"I would like to ask you out on a date," Ed said. "A meal that I would pay for. I would dress up, and maybe you could wear something other than the Auror's uniforms I always see you wearing."

"Where would we go?" Cho asked.

"I know a nice little Chinese Place. I've been there almost every week for the last eight weeks, and they are beginning to know me. I've even asked if I could bring a special girl to one of the private back rooms next Monday."

"What's the name of this place?" Cho asked, thinking she knew the answer.

"Chang's Chinese," Ed said.

The family restaurant! This was not a small escalation in the relationship. He was getting serious. Eight weeks?

Cho said, "But we've only been eating together for five weeks."

Ed said, "I like to be thorough."

"How long have you been stalking me?"

"Cho, I'm sorry if it looks like stalking. I've just had a lot of very brief relationships, one or two dates. I was intrigued by you, but wanted to know more before talking to you."

"And you have reservations at my family's restaurant?" Cho asked.

"For Edward Koizumi and guest," Ed answered. "They know I am Japanese. The name pretty much gives it away. Your mother, I'm pretty sure she is your mother, is usually at the front of the restaurant, and I've talked to her. She knows I am Japanese."

"It's the grandmothers and grandfathers you and I have to worry about," Cho said. But she agreed to the date.

When she got home she panicked. She didn't have a pretty enough dress, and Ed was going to dress up. She needed a real pretty dress in a hurry. Saturday after work she met Joey and his wife Laura La'Lanna, and together they picked out a dress that emphasized all her curves. It had a slit way up one side showing off a very shapely thigh and leg. It was silk, with Chinese figures on it, and looked very Chinese, and very elegant.

Cho had never eaten in the main dining room of the family restaurant. She had chopped more vegetables than she cared to contemplate. She had cleared tables, and even waited on tables. But once she walked into the family restaurant, in that dress, accompanying Ed, she was in a relationship.

They had never kissed, never really held hands. They had talked, and talked.

Cho worked Sunday night, like she usually did. Going to sleep Monday morning was not easy.

Monday afternoon Cho woke up. She showered. She put on a little makeup, and a much redder lipstick than she usually wore. Joey and Laura said the lipstick went perfectly with the dress, and she had to agree. She put on much prettier earrings than the little studs that she usually wore, real substantial gold hoops. She dabbed on a little perfume.

Laura had insisted she get a new bra for the dress. It didn't make her look any bigger, but it was lacy and feminine in a way her daily work bras were not. "I don't plan on letting Ed see these Monday," Cho had protested.

"You will know that you are wearing them," Laura said. "You need to feel pretty inside and out."

Cho's knickers were very pretty, very feminine, and they didn't cover quite as much as the ones she usually wore. Cho had to admit that even before putting on the dress she felt more feminine than she usually did.

The dress was spectacular! Cho couldn't believe how much money she had spent on the dress. It wasn't something you could find in Diagon Alley. Joey had found a store specializing in Chinese women's clothes. Once they had picked out the dress they brought it back to the tailor shop, and Joey worked his magic on it. As tight as it was on her, it still moved with her. It felt comfortable and very sexy as the same time. Joey and Laura had put a couple of spells on it to make her look even sexier.

Cho wasn't sure how her family was going to react. Maybe it was too much.

Ed was going to show up at her apartment door at six forty five. They could easily walk to the restaurant in fifteen minutes. Cho was ready by Six fifteen. She paced. She fretted.

Finally there was a knock on the door. Six forty four. Ed was anxious too! That was a good sign. She opened the door and said, "Come in."

Ed came in and looked at her. He really looked at her.

"I wanted to look pretty for our first real date," Cho said.

"Pretty?" Ed said. "Spectacular! Stunning! You are going to make some statement walking into the family restaurant looking like that!"

Cho said, "I just wonder what the reaction is going to be." She was still worried.

Cho had a coat over her sleeve, and Ed reached for it and helped her put it on.

They went out into the hall, and Cho released her wand from its holster and locked the door, then put the wand back into its holster on her forearm. "Still an Auror," she said. "I have my Auror wallet in my purse."

"Warning me to be careful?" Ed asked.

Cho laughed.

"May I hold your hand?" Ed asked.

"That would be nice," Cho said.

They walked around the block to Chang's Chinese. Ed opened the door for Cho, and then went inside.

Ed took Cho's coat, hung it up, and then hand in hand they walked up to the reception area.

"I have reservations for Ed Koizumi and guest," Ed said. The woman at the desk looked up and saw Cho and Ed holding hands.

"CHO! CHO!" her mother yelled. She ran to the kitchen. A violent argument almost immediately broke out.

"I told you there would be problems," Cho said.

"There will be just as many problems with my family," Ed said. "They just won't yell."

Finally Cho's mother came out. She took two menus and silently walked them back to the room Ed had reserved. You could feel the tension in the air.

Cho and Ed sat alone in the room for about fifteen minutes, getting more and more upset and worried. Finally a man came into the room.

"Hi, daddy," Cho said.

"You look lovely, Cho," he replied. Turning to Ed he said, "I'm John Chang, Cho's father. My wife has told me about you. How you seemed to be a nice young man. She even said you were bringing a very special girl to dinner tonight."

Ed said, "I think she is very special."

"You are Japanese?" John asked.

"I was born in England, and am an English citizen," Ed said. "My parents are of Japanese ancestry, and they sent me to school in Japan to learn Japanese and, they hoped, bring back a Japanese wife."

"No wife?" asked John.

"Not even a girlfriend," Ed replied. "They have tried to set me up with a Japanese girl ever since. They want to arrange a marriage for me. So far their efforts have failed rather spectacularly."

"You like Cho?" John asked.

"Very much," Ed answered.

"You know why my parents and grandparents hate the Japanese?" John asked.

"The Rape of Nanking," Ed answered. "My ancestors fought with Britain against Grindelwald. That doesn't mean they will say anything bad about the Japanese. They just kind of ignore chunks of Japanese history."

"You?" asked John.

"I'm English," Ed replied. "If I ever have children they will go to Hogwarts, not to that horrible Japanese school I went to."

"Cho's mother likes you, Ed," John said. "It's pretty obvious that Cho does too. I think we can get the grandparents to accept you. Just give it time.

"I probably ought to take your order for dinner."

John served the dinner, taking the time to talk to Ed and Cho. He even sat down with them a couple of times. "Monday is a slow night for the restaurant," he explained.

When the meal was done they walked back to Cho's apartment hand in hand. When they got to the door Cho said, "Would you like to come in? It's still early."

"I would like that," Ed said.

Cho hung up her coat, and then turned to face Ed. They stood there awkwardly for a couple of minutes, each wanting to hug or kiss or something. Finally Ed asked, "Do you mind if I hug you?"

Cho moved into Ed's open arms and gave him a big hug, and then a small kiss.

They stayed in each other's arms.

Cho finally relaxed into Ed. She said, "I didn't realize how tense I was."

Cho had a small sofa in her apartment, and sat down and motioned Ed to sit down next to her. They sat, bodies touching. Ed said, "I thought that went rather well. Your father likes me."

"Yes," Cho said, "but you heard the explosion from the back. I'm scared to have you meet my grandparents and great-grandparents."

"Especially if they have sharp knives in their hands," Ed said.

"Sharp words can be just as cutting," Cho replied, not looking at Ed. She turned to Ed and said, "What do we do now?"

I hope we can eat dinner together next Tuesday," Ed said.

Cho nodded her head yes.

"Would you like to meet my parents at dinner next Tuesday?' Ed asked.

Cho tried to think, but she couldn't. It felt right and comfortable sitting next to Ed. Meeting his parents was a big part of who Ed was. It was a big step in their relationship too.

"If I am moving too fast for you I will back off," Ed said. "We can go back to just the Thursday dinners if you would like."

"Do your parents know about us, Ed?"

"Yes Cho, of course they do. They would like to meet you."

"Do your grandparents and great-grandparents know about us?"

"Oh Merlin, no! Mum says they will eventually come around."

"When, Ed? When will they come around?"

"Mum says that if we have children they will come around, if only for their grand and great-grandchildren."

"One kiss and you are talking about children?" Cho said in mock horror.

"I said if, not when," Ed replied. "I would gladly take you out again next Monday, and show you my apartment and the workshop where my father and I fix things and store our tools."

"So we are going from seeing each other just on Thursday to seeing each other Monday and Thursday?" Cho asked.

"Only if you want to," Ed said.

Cho leaned into Ed and gave him another small kiss. She got up. "Let me show you the rest of the apartment," she said. "There is not much to see." After a brief tour of the apartment they sat back down. It was well past midnight before Ed left, after a lot of hugging, a few more chaste kisses, and more small talk.

After Ed left Cho put her hands up to her lips, a little panic setting in. She had kissed Cedric just before the Tri-Wizard Tournament, sending him into battle, and to his death.

She had never really kissed Harry Potter. Their relationship had always been fragile, tense.

The next boy she had kissed was Michael Moon, just before the Battle of Hogwarts. Their relationship had progressed from being really good friends to something more; neither was quite sure what it was or where it would lead. Michael told her it was his first kiss. And then he went into battle and GOT KILLED TOO!

Ed wasn't a warrior. He just fought with balky drains and balky tenants, not people out to kill you. There was no reason for Cho to feel panic! But she did, just a little.

Thursday Cho thought she was as nervous as the second Thursday that she and Ed had met for dinner. Ed's parents were delightful people. They did not have any advice about the grand and great-grandparents except to give it time. Thursday Cho did agree to go out with Ed to Chang's Chinese the following Monday.

Cho had Joey and Laura work their magic on the three nice dresses she had in her closet, and picked one of them to wear for dinner on Monday. This Monday her parents were prepared. Her mother and father both spend time with them in the back, private dining room. Grandmother covered the front from just after Cho and Ed were seated until just before they left, but it was obvious that she didn't want to see Cho or Ed.

Ed took Cho to see his neat little bachelor apartment, and then showed her the three blocks of apartments that the family owned. She saw the inside of maybe a dozen apartments that were currently being refurbished or were for rent, from little one bedroom units to a large four bedroom unit with three full baths and a half bath, a living room and dining room and library.

Finally Ed took Cho down to the workroom he and his father shared. It was neat and well equipped, with a very large selection of Muggle power tools as well as some special magical builder's tools. Ed showed her everything else, and then took her over to his workbench. On it was a small plaque carved out of several different woods. It showed Ed and Cho sitting at the table in the Japanese restaurant, with Cho carved out of the wood of her wand and Ed carved out of the wood of his wand. It was inlaid with Mother of Pearl, with some brass accents. It was an exquisite little piece.

"For you," Ed said. "No matter what happens to us, I wanted you to remember this time."

Cho looked at Ed, and the plaque, and put her arms around Ed, and gave him a real deep lover's kiss.

Damn the grandparents. Maybe she wasn't cursed anymore.


	2. CH 2 Commitment

CH 2 Commitment

A second chapter in the little Cho Chang story, posted after receiving my second review. This will not be a long story.

* * *

Christmas Eve Ed presented Cho with a hand carved wooden ring, inlaid with Jade, and asked her to marry him, and she said yes. They announced the engagement to the whole family over the Christmas holidays. None of the grand or great-grandparents was happy, but none of them made a big scene either.

Cho was supposed to start her New Year's Eve shift at 11:00 PM. She appeared at the Auror Department about 11:09 PM, late, which for her was unheard of.

"A little too much celebrating, Cho?" Harry asked, with an amused look on his face.

"I just had some family issues. I lost track of time," a very flustered Cho replied.

"You are not working eighty hours a week anymore, which is good," Harry said. "I hope you have found someone."

Cho involuntarily looked at her engagement ring, and then looked back at Harry. "I'd rather keep my personal life private. I'm not seeing anyone in the Ministry of Magic."

"I won't ask," Harry said. "It's been pretty quiet so far. I'll stay until I know everything is under control. Then I have to get some sleep, before Ginny and James and I go to my in-laws for New Year's Day."

Cho hoped Ed was doing all right. Chang's Chinese had been booked for New Year's night, as full as it had ever been. The night before three of the kitchen staff had gotten sick, and they were short of help. Cho brought Ed along and they both helped in the kitchen. Cho was pretty good charming knives to cut up food, and cooking. Ed could cook, but what he could learn right away, what he really knew already, was how to wash dishes. Ed had been charming dishes clean in the large sinks at the restaurant for the last four hours, and it looked like he was going to put in another four hours, at least, before he was done.

Cho's parents were thrilled. He had already made some minor repairs around the restaurant, and Ed had thoroughly won over the parents.

The grandmothers and great-grandmothers were not so sure, but at least they were not openly hostile, and the washing of dishes seemed to be winning a couple of them over to Ed's side. One of the great-grandfathers was still openly hostile, however.

New Year's Day, late in the afternoon, after both Cho and Ed had awakened from what was a very long night; Cho went over to Ed's apartment. Ed said, "I have a surprise for you." He led Cho over to a different apartment in the same building where Ed was living. It was one of the large four bedroom apartments, facing inside to a large garden area that was in the middle of the apartment block that the family owned. The bottom of the two story apartment was at ground level in the back, and you could walk right out into the large shared garden area.

Ed showed Cho the master bedroom. "I'm moving. I'm going to be sleeping in here from now on," he said. "You are welcome to move in anytime you want."

"Do you mind if I move in today as well?" asked Cho. Her stomach was in about a thousand knots. She really wanted this, and at the same time was terrified.

"The sooner the better," Ed said.

"We'd better try out the bed," Cho said. "My period has just started, and we can't do anything else, but I would …" Cho wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Was she glad that her period had just started, and they couldn't have sex? Did she want to have sex? Of course, she wanted to. They were engaged. They were going to get married! She thought that she wanted to do it more than she wanted to wait, but she wasn't sure. She just stood there silently for a long time.

Ed finally said, "Let's just keep our clothes on and cuddle." They held each other, cuddled and kissed. Ed finally said, "Let's set a date. Soon."

"Soon is fine with me," Cho said.

Cho had to work Saturday night, New Year's Day. When she got back to their apartment Ed was already up. They ate breakfast together, and then Ed went to work and Cho went to sleep. Working different shifts was not ideal. 'Their apartment' thought Cho. They were not married yet, but soon. They were not intimate yet either. Cho was in Ravenclaw, and she liked to read up on everything before she did it. How did you read up on Sex? What did you DO, exactly?

Thursday morning January 6 Cho got back to the apartment and Ed said, "I have the wedding all scheduled. We are going to get married in a meeting room the family owns in this building at 9:00 AM on Saturday February 19. The room is reserved and the wizard who usually performs these ceremonies has us down for that morning. Do you think you could ask Joey and Laura Middy to stand up for us? I don't want to ask anyone in the family."

"I will see if they are available," Cho said. "Ask anyone from one side of the family and the other side will get mad. You and I getting married is still a real touchy subject."

Ed said, "After the ceremony we are going to go to Chang's Chinese for an early lunch. If we start by eleven we can be mostly done before the noon hour. Everyone in your family can be there, and the help will make the food and serve us, and congratulate you."

"Everyone agrees?" Cho asked.

"I guess great-grandfather Chang is still bitterly opposed, but everyone else at least tolerates me. My great-grandfather Koizumi is no better. We may have to get married without those two bitter old men, but other than that we should have everyone else there."

"Thank you for arranging everything, Ed," Cho said. She went over and gave Ed a big kiss. "I really appreciate it. I love you! I'm think I am more eager to BE married than to GET married. "

"I love you too, Cho. I'm glad to do this for you. Besides, I guess I'm just eager to be married too."

They still didn't have sex, that morning or in the evening before she went to work. Cho wondered if she was going to be a virgin on her wedding night. "I will stay at the Ministry and ask Joey tomorrow morning, and maybe go over to see Laura too,"

Cho said to Ed. "I will find you when I get back."

"I will eat a little breakfast, but I'll have another meal with you before you have to sleep, unless there is some emergency," Ed said. He had a very flexible schedule, unless something broke at one of the tenant's apartments. If there was a problem Ed or his father had to fix it, no matter what the day or time.

Cho found Joey as her shift was ending. "Ed and I would like you and Laura to stand up for us at our wedding. We have scheduled it for February 19, Saturday morning at nine in the morning. I think you are the only person in the ministry who knows I'm getting married, and I don't want to let anyone else know."

Joey said, "I haven't told anyone. I would love to stand up for you." Joey gave one of those giggles which were so strange coming from a man. "You had better ask Laura, though. She's at Middy's Child Care right now.

Cho went over to the child care center, where she found Laura and three other witches taking care of about twenty under two year old children. "How is the child care business, Laura?" Cho asked.

"Business is good," Laura answered. "As long as witches keep having babies and need someone to watch them while they work we have a steady stream of new customers. My Markey is no longer a baby, but I'm pregnant again!"

"Mark's your third child, isn't he?" Cho asked. "This will be your fourth? How many do you want?"

"Oh, lots. I thought maybe eight. I love being pregnant and I love nursing. What brings you here? Do you want us to take care of your children?"

"Oh Merlin, no!" Cho exclaimed. "The grandmothers' are already fighting over who is going to take care of Ed and my child or children. Ed and I are getting married Saturday February 19 at nine in the morning, and we would like you and Joey to stand up for us. Joey agreed but wanted me to check with you first."

Laura waved a wand and a calendar popped up. She looked at it and wrote something with her wand. "Is there going to be a reception or lunch?" she asked.

"Yes, at eleven at the family restaurant. I am sure everybody will be gone not long after noon."

"We will be there, Cho," Laura said.

"How do you do it?" Cho asked. "Ed and I are sharing a bed, although with our work schedules we are not usually in it at the same time. We always have long pajamas on, and, we've never been intimate. I don't know how to tell Ed that I don't want to wait, and I don't know what to do if he doesn't want to wait.

Laura gave Cho a copy of " **Witches' and Wizards' Graphic Guide to Married Sex** " I always keep an extra copy of this on hand for witch friends who are getting married," she said. "Let Ed read it too."

"Should I just get naked for Ed?" Cho asked.

"I would think a sexy nightgown would be better. It would let Ed see everything he needed to see, and he could still take it off you. Take off his top first, and when his bottoms are straining take them off."

"Could you help me find a sexy nightgown?" Cho asked.

"I can be gone a few minutes. Let's go over to Mother Minerva. She has just what you need," Laura said. She giggled.

Cho looked at the garment Laura had picked out. She had it on over her Auror blouse and pants. "Laura, you can see right through this!"

"Of course, you can!"

"It doesn't come down far enough!" Cho said, pointing to the area between her legs.

"I thought you wanted Ed down there," Laura said.

Cho had been taught that that area was very private. She wasn't fond of the couple of times a female healer had examined her down there. You couldn't be married and keep that private, though, not from your husband. She purchased the skimpy nightgown, and took the book and nightgown home. Cho was going to have to read up on this sex stuff. She left the book out where Ed could find it, and she was pretty sure he was reading it too.

Sunday January 16th Cho was off until her evening shift that would start at eleven in the evening of Tuesday the 18th. She and Ed were still sharing an apartment and a bed. The kisses had gotten a little more passionate, but that was about it. Ed had brought her flowers a couple of times. That was nice, but not enough. As they finished their evening meal Cho said, "I'm going to sleep with you tonight." She gave Ed a big kiss, and what she hoped was a 'come hither" look. Cho didn't know if she had a 'come hither' look. This was all so new.

"I could use a little cuddling before we go to sleep," Ed said. Cho hoped there would be a lot more than just cuddling.

Cho left for the bedroom a little early that night. She took a shower. She found the perfume that Ed had said was nice, and put it on. She put on the nightgown. You could see right through the flimsy little garment! It only covered half her bum. She felt very sexy, and very exposed. Cho sat on the bed and read from the book. Just looking at the drawings was enough to make you get excited.

Ed eventually came into the bedroom. He looked at Cho.

He LOOKED at Cho!

He smiled. "That is a very sexy nightgown Cho," he said. He looked at the book Cho was reading. "I've been reading it too. Is it time for a practical exam?"

"I hope no one else is going to give us a grade, but sure, I want to try out what we have been reading about."

"I'll take a quick shower and be right there," Ed said. When Ed came back into the bedroom he was wearing his pajama bottoms, but for the first time he didn't have any top on. Ed crawled into bed and they hugged. When he went down to her bottom the nightgown rode up, so he was touching her, not her through a garment but her.

Both garments eventually came off, and before long they had done what they had been reading about.

They made love twice more that night.

Saturday morning Cho woke up. Her normal work shift was overnight, and she was having a hard time sleeping. Ed was sound asleep, a contented smile on his face. Both of them were naked; somehow before the past night the thought of being naked in front of anyone was scary, but this was different. This was what love between a man and a woman was supposed to be like.

Eventually Ed woke up. "I'm glad we are getting married in just under five weeks," he said. "I'm glad we didn't wait for this. I would have waited if that's what you wanted, but I'm very happy we didn't. I love you."

"I love you too, Ed," Cho said. Most of the weekend was a long practice session on what they had been reading and thinking about. When Cho had to go back to work that Sunday night they both felt the weekend had been a little honeymoon, a very good little honeymoon.

February 18 Cho got off her Auror's shift and instead of going home she went to St. Mungo's.

"I have been a lot more tired than usual," Cho said. "I'm getting married tomorrow, but I don't think it's just from that. I know I didn't lack energy the first weeks we became intimate. I've even thrown up a couple of times, and my stomach is real funny."

The healer who examined her had her give a urine sample, took some blood, and ran some tests. She also examined Cho with her wand and a couple of other instruments. When she came back she asked, "When was your last period, Cho?"

"The beginning of January," Cho replied. "I've never been real regular, and missing one is not all that unusual."

The healer said, "The tests show you are pregnant. You first had relations the middle of January?"

"Yes," Cho replied. "I was a virgin before that. We've talked a little about having a family. Can you really get pregnant the first month you have relations?"

"You would be surprised how many women get pregnant the first time," the witch healer said. "I'm passing you off to a witch midwife. My best guess is that you are about five weeks along. Meanwhile here are some potions to take for the next month. They should help the morning sickness and give you all the things you need for a healthy pregnancy. Congratulations!"

When Cho got home Ed gave her a big hug. Seeing uncertainty on her face he asked, "What's wrong? Did the healer find a problem?"

"Nothing is exactly wrong," Cho said. "I've been a little sick and a little tired because I'm pregnant!"

"That's GREAT news!" said Ed.

"I kind of wanted us to get used to being married before having a family," Cho said. "We should have used the birth control charms, or I should have gotten some birth control potions. I'm not really too upset, just a little shocked and surprised it happened so fast. The healer said I probably got pregnant the first week, maybe even the first day, we had sex. What are we going to DO?"

"You are really pregnant, Cho? That's GREAT news."

"You don't mind?" Cho asked. "We've talked about having children, and, Oh thank you Ed. I've just been so unsure of myself, but every time I'm with you things are just right. Even with the two grandfather's glowering at us you just are so, so, solid. Here I am the Auror and I just feel safe and loved in your arms.

Ed wrapped his strong arms around Cho. "We are hardly the first couple to have a baby, Cho. We'll raise it, and maybe, if you want, another one. When they are old enough send them off to school. You can work, or stay home and take care of them, whatever you want. Money is not a problem. The most important thing is to love each other, and love them

"The grandmothers are already fighting over who will take care of the baby, and no one knows I'm pregnant but you," Cho said. She buried himself in his arms. "I love you!" Cho laughed and cried at the same time, and Ed just held her, and it felt real good.

The lovemaking that night was the best ever. Cho didn't know why, but between the pregnancy hormones and the love of Ed she felt better than she had felt since, since.

That was her past. She felt better. She felt great!

The next morning Cho and Ed walked to the meeting room where the wedding was going to be held. Cho had on a nice, conservative, very Chinese, dress. Ed wore a new business suit and tie. They met Joey and Laura. Joey had the most conservative outfit Cho had ever seen him wear when he was not in disguise. He looked very good without overshadowing Ed. It was hard for Laura not to overpower Cho; she was taller and a lot rounder everywhere, but she had on a very conservative dress that looked nice without looking nicer than Cho's very elegant dress.

Everybody from both sides of the family was there except for the two bitter old great grandfathers. Both parents said soul bonding spells. Joey and Laura said a spell for soul bonding and another one for children.

When the ceremony was over, the families mingled. The two paternal grandmothers' were talking, and the discussion escalated into an argument. Ed and Cho finally went over to the two women and said, almost in unison, "What are you two fighting about?"

"I'm your grandmother, Cho! I should take care of your children," Grandmother Chang said.

"I'm living in the same building as the Koizumi's, and I should watch over the Koizumi children," Grandmother Koizumi said.

"Cho CHANG!" yelled Grandmother Chang.

"Cho KOIZUMI," yelled Grandmother Koizumi.

"QUIET!" yelled Cho. "I'm sorry, Grandmother Koizumi, but I'm staying Cho Chang. Our children will be Koizumi, but I'm keeping my last name. I haven't decided exactly how we are going to split up child care, but both of you will have plenty of time to take care of a grandchild or two."

"When should we expect the first grandchild, Cho," her mother asked.

Without thinking Cho said, "Towards the end of October."

I didn't mean to announce it, Cho thought. Was she in trouble now?

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Cho's mother yelled.

"Five weeks," Cho said. She looked at the grandmothers and said, "If you two don't stop fighting neither of you is ever going to touch your great grandchildren!"

Despite the lingering tension between the grandmothers the rest of the day went well. Everybody was excited that Cho was pregnant.

Cho went into work Monday afternoon the 21st. She had to change documents to show she was married, with her husband's name, her new address, and contact information. Ed was now her next of kin, not her parents. Once that was done she found Harry in his office. Mary Lou Creevey waved her in.

"Hello, Cho," Harry said. "Did you have a good weekend?"

"I got married, but I'm not changing my last name," Cho said. "I've taken care of the legal things already. He doesn't work for the Ministry, and I'd just as soon not make a big deal of it."

"I hope you are very happy," Harry said.

"I don't want to be one of those stupid females going on and on about how wonderful their husband is," Cho said. Then, getting an awkward grin on her face she said, "But he IS. At least for me."

"Are you going to want to take off for a honeymoon?"

"Ed and I have talked about it. I will probably take some time off this spring. I know the rules are different for pregnant Aurors. You are forbidden from going on certain missions and doing certain things, and the rules change the further along you are."

"Are you and, Ed, is it, planning on starting a family?"

"I'm five weeks pregnant, Harry. I didn't …, we didn't … it wasn't really planned. The marriage was planned, before we …, before we ... But we didn't wait. I'm usually so well prepared, but I didn't think of birth control, and so now I'm pregnant."

Harry laughed. "My brother-in-law George and his wife decided that they really ought to plan a wedding AFTER she was pregnant. You're not doing bad anticipating the wedding night when you already had a date set. I will make sure you are on pregnancy duties without announcing it. The word will get out pretty quickly, though. Still want to stay Third Shift Supervisor?"

"Yes, please," Cho said.

Harry called Mary Lou into the office. "We have to make a change in Cho's status," Harry said.

"I see you have gotten married," Mary Lou said. "Congratulations! I hope you are as happy as Dennis and I are."

Harry nodded to Cho. She looked at Mary Lou and said, "I'm also five weeks pregnant. I want to stay Third Shift Supervisor, and I'm not real anxious to announce any of this. I'm not ashamed I got married. He is a great guy, and a good one. I just want to keep my private life separate from my professional life."

"I will keep it as quiet as I can," Mary Lou said. "Eventually your body will give you away, though."

Cho looked down at her still flat stomach. Some things you couldn't hide. She looked at Harry and remembered how drastically Ginny's body had changed, from the skinny little thing that was a Harpies chaser to the much rounder Ginny you now saw, rounder on top and on the bottom than when she was a student, and with a belly she never had before. She looked like a mum, and all too much like her mum, and not like the cute girl Harry had married.

Some things you couldn't keep private.

She was going to stay Cho CHANG, but she was glad she was married. She was VERY GLAD that she and Ed had gotten married.


End file.
